Unexpected Choices
by susand1861
Summary: After an accident with a potion occurs, Snape is transformed back into his 17 year old self and is now a student at Hogwarts again. How did he change? Will he return to his proper age? And, will he want to? A WIKTT CHALLENGE MF
1. Where Am I?

Chapter 1

When am I?

Snape sat at his desk scowling darkly at the stack of essays waiting to be graded. Wearily closing his eyes, he passed a hand over his eyes before continuing to read through the bleary, smudged words and drips that did nothing to hide the inadequacies of the careless thinking the essays showed. Sighing in frustration, Snape threw his red inked quill to the desk, "This isn't divination class. Guesses will not make a potion work. Paying attention to amounts, careful attention to detail, exacting motions; these are the traits that make potion making an art."

The bubbling and popping of the small iron cauldron summoned Severus from his desk. With a decisive wave of his wand, the flame beneath the cauldron lowered itself to a small blue flicker. Watching the potion gently ripple, Snape felt his frustration ease as the calming serenity and beauty of potion making worked its way through him again. Reinvigorated with the lure of purpose, he turned back to grading the remaining essays on his desk.

Snape felt his muscles revel in moving as he walked to the potions closet after spending hours sitting hunched over his desk. Feeling back in his own element, he moved with ease through his stores as he retrieved the wispy Angelica root from its wicker basket. In the light of the fluttering candle that hovered beside him, he carefully examined the root turning and feeling it for any blemish that would taint the potion. Placing it gently on the cutting table, his trained fingers begin to cut the root into wafer thin slices before placing them in the pestle, and with quick practiced pounds turned the once stiff root into a smooth paste.

Watching the hourglass's white sand, Snape measured the passing of time waiting until the exact moment to add the last ingredient. The healing draught that Madame Pomfrey needed would take two hours to simmer after the addition of the Angelica paste. Smiling, he thought of the hours of undisturbed silence he would enjoy before the healing potion would be finished.

As the last grain of sand fell through the hourglass, the potion gave a loud pop and growl as it became crystal clear. Seeing the potion change color, Snape slowly stirred the potion clockwise three times with the glass stirring rod before switching directions and slowly adding the paste. He watched in fascination as deep ruby spirals briefly appeared before the potion turned completely red. Muttering contentedly, he walked to his study and fell back into the large worn overstuffed chair to enjoy the quiet sounds of the dungeon.

His peaceful moment was interrupted by a soft knock. Groaning at the interruption he turned toward the door, frowning as he growled out for this miscreant to enter.

Swallowing hard the young sandy haired boy stood there quivering in his overly large robes bearing the Hufflepuff crest. "Headmaster requests you come to his office at once, Professor".

"Mr. Regeld is it?" The boy nodded his head sending his shaggy hair bobbing around his wide youthful face at Snape's dark tone. "Please inform the Headmaster that I am needed here to attend to the potions for Madam Pomfrey."

Regeld nodded again to cover his smile. "Headmaster said you would tell me that, Sir. He said to tell you it was extremely important for you to come and to inform you that you will be back before the potion is complete."

Groaning, Snape rose from his chair. "You will stay and watch this potion. Should anything change you will get me immediately. Touch nothing." He turned on his heel and stormed from his office.

The young boy only stared after him in a shocked silence. After a few moments of standing alone facing the professor's empty desk, he began to move about the empty room finally coming to rest at the shimmering and bubbling red potion in the dark cauldron. Moving around the normally off limits areas of the Potion Master's study, Regeld was entranced by the oddly colored phials and curious names written in Snape's scrawling spidery hand. Wandering around the shelves of ingredients he didn't note to passage of time until, the quiet room was suddenly filled with a loud crack as the potion exploded sending a spray of red liquid around the room. Seeing no one to help him, Regeld picked up the nearest stirring paddle and quickly mixed the potion to ease the bubbling. He watched as the potion turned clear, breathed what sounded like a sigh, and relaxed before turning back to its original red.

Regeld sighed with relief as well as he collapsed to Snape's chair. Sitting in the quite solitude of the dungeon, he felt a strange languor surround him as he nestled deeper into the chair's warm comfort. He intently watched the potion simmer gently on the flame as he blinked repeatedly against the pull of sleep. With a yawn, Stephen Regeld leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes and drifting to sleep.

Much later, Snape dodged into his office frantically checking the hourglass by the cauldron, Breathing a sigh of relief that he still had a few moments before the potion would be finished he looked around to find where the noticeably absent Mr. Regeld had wandered off to. His search was interrupted by the soft snoring in the corner. "Ten points from Hufflepuff for sleeping while attending a potion. You may go now Mr. Regeld." He watched the young man jump from his chair blinking the sleep from his eyes as he instinctually moved to the door. "Mr. Regeld," the boy turned tentative eyes toward his Potions Master as he froze at the threshold, "it appears that you need more work on potions monitoring. Tomorrow evening, you will report to the potions classroom for extra practice in potions vigilance." His dark tones brooked no argument as he curtly dismissed the student.

Walking over to the cauldron, he mixed the red fluid for the last time noting its consistency. Turning out the fire, he retrieved a small glass phial and filled it with the blood red liquid. Holding it up to the candle light he carefully checked the color, before lifting the phial to his lips and taking a small swallow. A quiet evening that could have easily been spent sitting alone had turned into a lengthy discourse on the admissions for the new term. Tedious hours spent discussing the possibilities of admittance for slightly magical individuals, whether Muggle or Magical born, always gave him a migraine. He never understood why Dumbledore and McGonagall couldn't make these decisions without him or call on Flitwick or Trelawney for their input. Smiling, Severus thought of the divination exercises that Sybil Trelawney would require to determine the admittance of students, it was such a delightfully outrageous idea that he even through of suggesting it to McGonagall when he saw her just to see her reaction. Still smirking, he sat back in the soft worn leather of the tall chair behind his desk. Feeling his temples throb again, he slowly rubbed them waiting for the headache draught to work.

Suddenly, something felt wrong. His head was throbbed, his fingers pulsed, and his vision grew fuzzy. Quickly his mind ran down the list of things he had added to the potion and the preparation of each. He fought hard against the rising darkness to concentrate and remember if he had skipped a step or timed the addition of the ingredients wrong. Nothing he could remember would cause this kind of debilitating reaction to a simple headache draught. He felt the room around him grow darker as he pushed himself from the chair and staggered towards the door. Each step throbbed through weakening limbs as his hands grabbed on to the door holding his weight up by sheer determination. He felt himself swimming in a swirling mist of bright colors and shimmering lights as he collapsed to the cold stone hallway.

He didn't know how long he had lain there on the floor, but the cold stones had seemed to have warmed under his face as he slowly and shakily pushed himself from the floor. Sitting against the wall behind him, he rubbed his head shaking off the last vestiges of a fuzziness that he couldn't quite place. Soon the sound of pounding feet on bare stone roused him from his stupor. Slowly rising from the floor, Snape looked down at his robes and paused, his pants hung loose around his legs as he passed his hands over the row of buttons that lined their side. Holding his arms out he saw a similar row of buttons running along the lower part of his sleeves that also draped against his thin arm. Gently tugging the loose ends of the robe around him, he ran a finger under his shirt collar examining the area where his house tie should be, but he met only the stiff high collar of a severe white shirt. Carefully looking around the hall, he noticed that everything looked as it had when he entered his laboratory earlier that day. Fearing he had forgotten to lock his dungeon room, Snape pulled on the door and felt it firmly bolted in place he quickly added an extra ward on the room before smiling at his own insecurity.

Moving quietly through the hallway, he tried to reach the slowly moving throng of students heading toward the Great Hall for supper. Suddenly, his quickly moving feet slammed to a halt as he saw the dark green velvet robes of Professor MacGonagall standing duty at the end of the hall. Ducking low, to avoid the woman's gaze, he almost succeeded in stealthily sliding into the main corridor when the soft tones of the woman's voice broke the silence. "Severus, are you finished for the night?" she asked innocently, her voice softly lilting with a burr lilted toward the man without looking at him as she faced the passing students.

Swallowing, Severus nodded at her without looking up. But he felt lost as he realized she knew about his secret potions workshop.

"Is everything alright Severus?" MacGonagall's concern for the younger man filled her voice.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall. I...I was just heading to dinner." He looked down at the floor as he quietly answered her question.

McGonagall stood still, shocked into silence as she turned around. She could not recall the last time Severus Snape had addressed her as Professor. She watched as he walked away, slowly almost guiltily looking behind him to gauge her reaction, but her reaction to what? She couldn't quite grasp what was wrong. Suddenly shaking her off her shocked silence she called out to him, her mind finally registering the strange way that his clothes hung around his body and the awkward look of his face. "Gods," she whispered from within a clenched throat. "It's almost as if we were wearing someone else's clothes." Calling out to him in a firmer voice, she watched him turn to face her. As he brushed back his long glistening hair to fully reveal his face, she felt her face grow cold as the blood drained leaving her normally pink cheeks a chalk white. McGonagall took a startled step backward pressing herself against the cold wall behind her as the dark haired young man walked closer to her. Sensing her unease at his presence he stopped and cocked his head to one side. She watched as his unruly hair fell around his face again, and was captivated by the vitality and openness in his eyes as his hair fell away from his eyes as he looked at her. The soft light from the torches swept over his smooth skin, no missing the light lines that he wore outwardly showing his internal scars. The only thing she could think as she looked at the younger version of the man she had seen only four hours ago came to her lips, "Severus are you alright?" "Of course, Professor. I was just heading to Supper." Even his voice sounds so much softer she thought blinking quickly. "If you'll excuse me." He bowed his head to her gently as he stepped back into a group of moving students. Finally collecting herself, she spoke in a strained voice, "Severus, please come with me." Turning imperiously, she snapped her green velvet robes close to her body as she headed off down the corridor. "Yes Professor" he murmured so softly that she just barely heard him over the shuffle of student feet on their way to the Great Hall as he fell into step beside her.

Severus felt himself striding to keep up with his quickly moving Transfiguration Professor. Dodging another student he moved beside her. "Professor McGonagall?" She didn't break her stride as he lost his footing on a gap in the staircase they were climbing. "Professor, where are we going?" he asked in an uncharacteristically nervous voice.

McGonagall shook her head again, even his voice was different. If she didn't know the man behind her, she would almost say he was sweet. His voice tremored slightly as he spoke to her and without the snide derisive remarks and biting words, she could believe that he was as young as he appeared. Without thinking, testing to see what his response would be she asked him harshly, "Where do you think we are going, Mr. Snape?"

She turned abruptly on her heel facing the man/boy behind her raising her eyebrow in the intimidating way that had cowed so many other Hogwarts students. Still he stood silent, but the anger within him that defined him so well was slowly creeping back to his eyes and voice. "The Headmaster's office." he stated emotionlessly.

"Yes. And before we arrive there I'd like you to guess why, Mr. Snape?"

She watched him swallow, waiting to see what his answer would be. Slowly he drew himself up to his full height and cocked his head to one side. His body language screamed that if he was to be punished, then he wouldn't take it cowering like child. "I was in an off-limits area of the castle." he admitted sardonically, his arrogant tone returning as he pictured the loss of his retreat from his classmates. Suddenly he thought of the repercussions his actions and tone would take and his unease returned. "Professor McGonagall, please don't let the Headmaster send me home." he blurted out without thinking, revealing the part of himself that he despised the most and hid the best.

McGonagall turned and looked at the pair of dark eyes that loomed out from behind the shaggy bangs of his hair. Again, she felt herself waver in her feeling for Snape the man as she was confronted with his younger self. She swallowed as she recalled past conversations with Dumbledore about Severus' abusive father and cold home life. She spoke with a voice that was far firmer that she thought she could mustered, "That's not for me to decide Mr. Snape. The Headmaster will make that recommendation." Seeing him blanch in response as she softened her tone slightly, "Or not."

They stopped at the gargoyle that marked entry into Dumbledore's office. McGonagall stood and watched as Severus paused thoughtfully at the entry way. "Stay here while I speak with the Headmaster." She turned, her green robes billowing around her as she softly spoke the password and climbed the steps into his office.

"Albus?"

"Minerva?" The wizened man responded mirroring her tone.

Shaking her head she sat heavily into the chair by his desk. "You know. Don't you?"

"That our Potion's Master has suffered a, how shall I say this, a set back?" His blue eyes twinkled mischievously.

"A set back? Is that what you are calling it? Gods, Albus, he's 17 again. He looks more like a student than many of our current students do." Her voice rose higher and higher as the absurdness of Severus' situation struck her.

He smiled at her as her confusion registered on her face. "What does he know Minerva?"

"He's 17, Albus." she repeated wearily. "He thinks he's still a student. I stopped him coming out of his rooms. He was literally sneaking down the hall as if he didn't belong there."

"He didn't. At least not when he was here." Albus interrupted. "We all knew he had a secret place he went to practice his arts, both light and dark, and to retreat from the other students. How very touching to find out he turned his retreat into his classroom."

"When I questioned him, he called me Professor McGonagall. Albus he is as he was. He's ... he's a child."

"And what does he know?" The headmaster tented his hands in thought as he looked penetratingly as his deputy.

"I can't say for sure. But, he knew about mealtimes, student schedules, he acts as if he was here just yesterday, but on the other side of the desk." Her voice trailed off as she watched Albus take in her words as he worried the long white whiskers of his beard.

Long moment past as Dumbledore gazed past her, his so lost in deep thought that she thought he had forgotten her presence. Clearing her throat delicately, the older woman broke his thoughts. "Albus, I have him waiting to see you in the hall. I didn't want him running into any of the other students. I don't know how I should be reacting to this. Could you imagine if he ran into the Weasly Twins?" She shuddered as she thought of the joy her two ex-Gryffindors would delight in creating when they happened up their unsuspecting ex - Potion's Master at the next Quidditch match.

"Yes. Of course. Do send him up." She turned toward the staircase to escort Severus to the office. His voice, now light with mirth stopped her at the doorway, "And leave us be. I'll bring him in to dinner with me." She looked at him in shock with her mouth uncharacteristically open. "We will not be late dear, I promise." he said with a wink.

With eyes ready to grasp everything, Dumbledore looked at the young man that emerged out of the hidden stairwell. McGonagall was right he thought as he saw the way Snape looked. This was the young man who would soon be taking the Dark Mark. And one of only four people who Albus had ever felt he had completely failed. This was Severus as he was deciding his future and, as yet, incapable of understanding the way experience and life could wear you away. But, as Dumbledore sat there in silence he realized that this Snape had never truly been lost, he was only very well hidden. It was this sense of balance that caused Snape to return a few years after graduating and experiencing the horror that he had only alluded to when drink loosened his iron control, to offer his services to the Order of the Phoenix.

"Mr. Snape." he spoke in complete Headmaster tone as he looked at the young man before him.

"Headmaster, I was just heading to dinner when I ..."

"Was seen coming from your lab in the dungeons?" The older man raised his eyebrows making his blue eyes appear even larger from behind his half moon glasses as he finished the younger man's sentence. But Snape missed his humorous expression as he locked his eyes on the stone floor.

"I know, Severus. But we have something more important to discuss before we go to the Great Hall. You will see several changes since you last remember."

Snape looked up at him oddly. "I didn't see Lucius at all today in the hall after leaving ..." his voice trailed off.

Nodding Dumbledore continued, "You have undergone a time shift and we will work at getting you home as soon as possible, but until that time you will need to adjust to this time."

"And the year, Sir?" Severus' tone was oddly lacking in either curiosity or fear.

"It is 1997, Severus."

Snape's already pale complexion went even paler. "1997? That's over 20 years in the future." His voice grew smaller and smaller as the time difference sunk in. "Then, they are all gone sir?" his voice was so soft it could barely be heard above the small sound of Fawkes taking flight.

Nodding, Dumbledore sat quietly giving the boy time to process all this new information, smiling as Fawkes gently landed on Severus's shoulder. The dark haired boy stood before Dumbledore's desk gently stroking the soft red feathers of the Phoenix's neck as he thought about all that he realized was lost to him.

Clearing his throat, Dumbledore called Severus's attention back to the here and now. "Severus, I would like to ask you something important. You will have to be assigned a house to be in and of course you will continue with your studies while we work at finding a solution to this ... situation."

He watched as the boy's dark head bobbed seeing the sense of his comments.

"I would like to resort you, Severus. See where you fit in today. Do you have any objections to this?"

"Honestly Sir?" Dumbledore nodded his head slowly, encouraging him to speak. "Whatever you choose will be fine with me. If Lucius and my other housemates are gone, it really doesn't matter where I am placed, does it?" The look or resignation as Severus spoke, said more about his future than he words did.

"Does it bother you that Lucius is not here?" Dumbledore watched the boy very closely as Severus mutely shrugged. Although he had been aware that Lucius and Severus had been very close while at Hogwarts, he had always felt it to be more a friendship of convenience than anything else. Severus had been a quiet bookish youth when he entered Hogwarts. His passion already being the Dark Arts and potions, Severus had been an immediate success in both classes showing his skill and absorbing in new potions at a speed that has not been rivaled until Hermione Granger appeared. His skill and talent had been the subject of many private meetings between the new headmaster and his ole Potions Master during the seven years Severus has attended Hogwarts. Lucius, not being one to lose a possible powerful future ally, immediately took the boy into his more energetic social circles, providing him with the acceptance that he had craved. Despite Severus's harsh exterior and rejection of others, Lucius had seen through his armor and found a way to exploit it that Dumbledore had not been able to find.

"You've no objections then to being resorted?" He paused and looked at Severus as he stood still stroking Fawkes. The lines of worry around his temples and the lost look in his eyes seem to evaporate as Fawkes gently butted his beak against Severus's hand. "No, Sir." "Good. Then tonight we will sort you again." The older man rose to his feet and put his arm around Snape's shoulders as they walked to the doors which lead to the Great Hall. "Don't worry Severus, everything will work out fine."

A dark laugh bubbled up from within Severus as he spoke to Dumbledore's back as they headed down the spiral staircase and into the central hallway that led to the Great Hall. "Nothing ever works out for me Headmaster. I have the rather unique talent of always choosing the wrong route."

Dumbledore stopped and turned at the bottom of the staircase looking up at the boy as he descended. "May I risk telling you something, Severus?" he paused looked into the despair filled eyes that tore at the older man's heart. The boy nodded with the look of a self condemned man. "In the end you will do the right and good thing. Your future's not as bleak as you think it will be." Waving his wand in the air above Snape's head, he transformed the older Snape's now ill fitting harsh woolen suit and robes to the softer well fitting school uniform that all first years came with.

Severus looked down at the grey sweater with the Hogwarts crest and slowly fingered the emblem of all four houses. With his fingers slowly tracing the embroidered badger, raven, snake, and finally the griffon that symbolized each house that lay over his heart, he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. As he looked down at Dumbledore, a wavering smile escaped his lips and lit his eyes before he seemed to catch himself and cover it with a scowl that would become the trademark smirk of Professor Severus Snape.


	2. Who Am I?

CHAPTER 2

Where do I belong?

Hermione darted down the hallway straightening her robes as they pulled against her overly large satchel. Her hair a mass of curls where it fell out of the simple bun she had tried to tie it up in while studying.

"Oi Mione over here!" She looked over to where Ron's voice called out from a doorway. He was totally unmistakable with his wide grin and glistening red hair. She smiled as she watched Ron reach out and snag Harry's sleeve, pulling him into the small doorway.

"Hurry up Hermione! McGonagall said she'll take house points from anyone who's late to dinner tonight." Harry watched her fight her way through the throng of hungry students heading the Great Hall for dinner as he spoke.

"If you spend some time in the Common Room, rather than being in the Library all the time, you'd know this too." She looked to see Harry smiling at her as Ron teased her.

"Well, I didn't see McGonagall complaining about my excessive use of the Library on the last Transfiguration essay." She rolled her eyes, laughing at Ron who had wrinkled up his face in response when Albus Dumbledore walked right in front of her without saying a word. "Good evening Headmaster." she said in a demure voice, quite the opposite of her earlier words.

"Oh yes, yes Miss Granger. Good Evening to you." He nodded at her distractedly as he continued walking past her. Following closely, Severus stopped as Hermione dodged between them.

From the brief moment he saw her, Severus noted that she was different than any girl he had seen before. She was not strikingly beautiful, but there was something about her that attracted him. He knew it could not be the hair that was tied in back in a loose bushy bun and held up with a thick yellow pencil, but his fingers itched to see if the curly tendrils falling around her neck were as soft as he imagined. Severus' eyes darkened in appreciation as he saw her robes dance around her shapely hips as she walked in front of him. His appraisal of her was quickly broken as Dumbledore hesitated in front of a pair of large oaken doors.

Quickly passing her, Severus hit her swinging satchel setting her teetering under its awkward weight. Without thinking, he caught her small hand gently in his larger one to steady her. With that one innocent touch, he had set off a cascade of desire that stirred them both. Hermione broke their contact almost immediately as she jumped back stuttering.

"Mr. Snape?" Dumbledore said clearing his throat and destroying the connection between Severus and Hermione.

Reminded of his destination, Severus quickly turned and strode toward the doorway. His eyes continued to stray back to the girl as she slowly walked away from him and he found that he could not let her go. He needed to know who she was. But, as she walked away, she glanced over her shoulder at him and gave him a wide smile. As he turned to hurry to where Dumbledore was waiting for him, he knew that he had to find out who she was and meet her again. Waiting for the doors to open for their arrival, he still felt warmed by her smile. The feeling faded quickly as he watched her bestow the same warm smile on the pair of boys waiting for her.

"James." he whispered in disbelief as he focused on the darker of the pair waiting for the girl.

"Headmaster?" He paused as doors to the Great Hall magically opened for them. "Who was the Gryffindor you were speaking with?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Why was she speaking with James?"

"James?" Dumbledore turned at the change in Severus' voice and looked curiously at the boy beside him.

"James Potter, Sir." Dumbledore paused as he heard a chilling tone in the boy's voice.

"That is not James Potter, Severus. That's his son Harry." He waved his hand distractedly at Severus as he scanned the long table for Minerva. Seeing her tall hat move as she spoke, he turned and looked at the boy. "I need to speak with Professor McGonagall. Please sit here." He pointed at the chair that had been Severus's seat when he accepted the position as Potions Master before quickly moved to the older woman. The two were soon in the midst of a heated discussion, their fierce gestures and angry gazes muted only by the silencing ward that Dumbledore had cast as he stood before Minerva. The room watched, seemingly enchanted by the silent spectacle on the dais.

Snape sat and watched the long benches at each house table fill with students gratefully released from their studies for the day. Looking down, he felt the weight of a hundred eyes focus on him as fingers pointed covertly to where he sat on the dais. Time slowly crept forward. The sounds in the hall transformed to a low hum and then to a tittering silence as the argument between the headmaster and his deputy grew more heated, though still as unsettling for its silence. Severus was grateful that it quickly replaced him as the center of the Hall's attention. With a rueful smile, he noted that, save the date, everything appeared as it had when he was last here; however that was not quite true, he smiled as he thought about the girl from the hall.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Severus scanned the groups of students looking for the telltale swirl of darkish hair or the unusual lump of an overly large book satchel. Sitting up straighter, he saw her walk in with Potter and the red-head. He surprisingly noted her easy grace as she maneuvered through the clusters of students, something he would not have expected after their awkward meeting.

The heated exchange between the two professors was completely forgotten by Severus as he sat entranced by the effortless way the brunette interacted with the other students, oftentimes sending a shy smile or wave to students at different houses. But it was the secret smile she gifted to the redhead that made Severus' eyes narrow as the red-head sat down closely beside her. The familiarity of their touch and glances released something darker from within him as he unconsciously ran a calloused finger over his left forearm. Clenching his left arm reflexively, Severus watched as she blushed at something the redhead said before gently running the back of her hand down his cheek. Despite the distance between them, he could swear he heard her laughing softly at something Potter had said as the darker boy reached across the table and punched the redhead lightly in the arm.

"Albus I don't think this is a good idea." McGonagall's normally lilting voice was heavily accented into a deep brogue showing her anger as he walked out of the warded bubble breaking its spell before sitting in his tall golden chair. Throwing her shoulders back, she stiffly followed him to her own smaller version of his chair directly to his right. Her eyes sparkled dangerously from their short lived argument.

The volume within the room fell several decibels as the Headmaster noisily pushed back from the chair he had just seated himself in. "Before we tuck in for supper tonight I have the rather unusual duty of informing you that we are welcoming a new student to our ranks of the seventh years at Hogwarts." He gestured toward Severus before continuing his speech. "As is the tradition with all first years, he will be Sorted into the house that will be his home until the end of his tenure at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall, if you will."

Settling back into his chair, Dumbledore watched the many faces in the Great Hall as Minerva brought the stool to the front dais before nodding to Albus. The older man, with twinkling eyes, gestured Severus to the stool that dominated it.

"Do you remember this?" McGonagall asked softly as she put her hand on the younger man's shoulder waking him from his silent appraisal of the Great Hall.

Seating himself on the tall stool before the table he nodded. "Yes Professor."

Leaning closer, she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "Don't be scared." She watched the meaning of her words register as the boy nervously swallowed. He looked up at her from where he sat on the old battered wooden stool, his large dark eyes shinning out against his porcelain skin.

Shaking his head he softly responded, "I'm not really scared. The Sorting Hat does not lie. I am a Slytherian because deep down inside that is who I really am." He looked out over the mumbling students and shrugged at the murmur of speculation that filled the hall at the announcement of his name.

McGonagall stared in silent fascination at the grim fatalism that filled the young man before her. She watched his dark eyes survey the amassed students, and found herself helpless to prevent the change in his face as he again became aware of the speculative looks from the students below. The openness of the student that she found in the hallway was being quickly replaced with the careworn lines and guarded mask he so often wore. Feeling a pull in her heart, she thought of his own self-condemnation and felt despair for the boy who was so grimly determined to meet the darkest future he could imagine for the man he would become.

Unable to speak through the cascade of emotions she felts, McGonagall gently patted Severus on a robe-clad shoulder. "Maybe the future can change the past." she whispered to herself as she looked from Severus to the Sorting Hat.

Moving back to pick up the Sorting Hat that had been ceremoniously placed beside Dumbledore, MacGonagall thought of all the sacrifices that Severus Snape had made over the years to help defeat Voldemort. Although he had proven himself to be an invaluable alley in winning the war, many people still thought of him as the "greasy black bat" and the "unjust git" that he had worked so hard to create and perfect when he was their most valued spy. Few people ever took the time to look beneath the surface of the façade and see the man that lived beneath the image. Looking down, she carefully ran her hand across the tattered brim of the Sorting Hat and smiled at the very un-Slytherian qualities that he had shown throughout the years since his return to Hogwarts as a professor.

Loudly clearing her throat, she walked to the stool schooling her face to hide her thoughts. "Quiet everyone." Professor McGonagall's authoritative voice echoed throughout the Great Hall as her arms rose gesturing for silence.

Some of the students began to quiet down, but it was not until the candles that floated above the tables flickered in unison from a subtle flick of her hand that Hall became quiet.

"Thank you." She nodded before continuing on. "The House which the Sorting Hat places," she paused for a brief second as she turned to look at Dumbledore who merely inclined his head gesturing for her to continue. Taking a deep breath she steeled herself for the reaction her revelation would create. "The House in which the Sorting Hat places Sebastian Snape b will /b welcome him and show him every curtsey that is expected from Hogwarts." With a secret smile she cut here eyes over to meet Albus's anger darkened eyes. Few knew Severus's middle name, and McGonagall truly felt that if Severus was to receive the second chance that Albus was so vociferous about she would not let petty jealousies and past experiences cloud anyone's judgment. Smiling gaily at Albus she watch him mouth, "We will discuss this later Minerva."

During this silent exchange, the effect of McGonagall's words at the Slytherian table was immediate and went completely unnoticed by the head table. The Slytherians, led by Draco Malfoy, sounded their approval for the new student by clapping each other on the back in congratulation to have a Snape in their midst. Not only would he be Slytherian, of that there was no doubt in anyone's mind, but he would be in their year. "In-vin-ci-bile" Malfoy snorted darkly as he thought of the power this would give him over the rest of the students. Their Head of House's son. Even Snape wouldn't deny some preferential treatment to his own son's new friends.

But the rest of the school did not feel such euphoria. At the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables dark looks and nervous whispers were exchanged as they overhead Malfoy's dramatically loud whisper. "What's the use of even Sorting him?" Ronald Weasley's disgusted tone summed up all but one of the opinions at the table. "He looks too much like Professor Snape to be anything other than Slytherian."

Hermione's soft voice was the only fount of reason at the table. "Looks don't have to mean anything. Harry was given a choice. And you, Ronald Weasley, have more than once told me I should have been a Ravenclaw."

Swallowing hard, she looked at Snape sitting alone on the stool and felt her heart flutter at the thought of their meeting in the hallway, before her mind wandered back to the day she had been Sorted. Hermione remembered how even though she had been new to Hogwarts, she had at least known that she was not the only one uncertain about the outcome of the Sorting that first day. She had already spoken with Ron, Harry, and Neville and watched as some of the people she could associate with names had been placed in their houses before her. Everyone was excited and the cheers of welcome that emanated from each table as the students were Sorted had made it feel better. But most of all, she was always aware that she was not the central focus of the entire school's dinner. Looking around at the sidelong glances and nervous titters from her friends and the gleefully manipulative way that Malfoy was laughing, Hermione doubted that there would be much applause for Mr. Snape from whatever house he was assigned, even if it was indeed Slytherian.

Harry and Ron brought their heads closer across the wide table ignoring Hermione's logical observation. "What d'ya think, Harry? Could he be Snape's son?"

Harry only shrugged as he looked up at the dais.

"There is no mystery about the things he did as a Death Eater. The Raids and all. Maybe, just maybe he could be his son." Ron's voice broke through Hermione's thoughts momentarily breaking her concentration and bringing it back to the Gryffindor table. Shaking her head, she looked back of Severus as he sat at the Head Table.

"Well Muggle born or not you can't miss that long greasy hair." Ginny shot out breaking her previous silence as she was drawn into the odd line of thinking.

"And that beak of a nose." Ron laughed loudly.

"You don't think someone would willingly do that. Do you?" Harry looked at Ron to see him screwing up his face as his voice trailed off unable to even state what he was thinking.

"What do you think Mione?" Ron's soft voice brought her out of her silent reverie. "So, what do you think Mione? Would you. You know. With Snape?"

" i Oh really, Ron /i . Could you b please /b try to act more your age instead of the number of chicken legs you intend on eating tonight." She replied shortly taking her eyes from the boy on the dais to shake her head at him.

"But Hermione," Ginny's voice took on wonderfully innocent tone, "if you i really /i wanted to insult my brother you shouldn't go with such a high number. I mean honestly," she playfully slapped away Ron's hand as went to gently punch her arm, "Ron has been known to eat as many as ten chicken legs in one sitting. Now brussel sprouts. Sprouts would be a much better choice."

"Ginny!" Ron's voice pleaded for her to stop.

"Yes Ron? What is your record on those?" She strained her voice to keep from laughing, but finally she couldn't any longer. "Five." she burst out laughing.

"Ouch. That one had to hurt." Harry laughed along with Ginny as he saw Hermione smile. Looking over at Ron's blushing face he felt slightly guilty in sharing the humor. "Don't worry, Ron. I doubt it was fatal blow to your ego."

Shaking her head in exasperation at her friends, Hermione quickly turned her attention back to the dais and the boy seated there. "Who are you?" she whispered softly to herself ignoring the banter between her friends.

McGonagall reached out to pick the hat up off the stool as it began to squirm and move away from her. Dropping her hand, she watched as the battered patches moved and the Sorting Hat began to speak from the long tear along the Hat's brim.

It's odd I know to see me here

Without some trembling students.

For only one you just may think

My presence isn't prudent.

But let me now inform you all,

The future can insist

And what was settled in the past

Can quickly be dismissed.

So send this young man here to me

And seat him on this stool,

My tattered self will tell you

Where he'll be within the school.

Now don't be scared or balk at me

You know I speak the truth

For you are now more than before

A point that needs no proof.

As usual, the Great Hall erupted into a bought of clapping at the end of the Sorting Hat's Song, but at the Gryffindor table the four friends were engaged in an awkward exchange. Ron was shaking his head disgustedly as he looked over at Hermione, "Do you think that the Hat might try to switch him?"

"Shut up, Ron."

"But Mione..."

"No but Miones Ron. I want to hear what the Sorting Hat says."

"You never hear anything the Hat says and you know it. I'm sure i Hogwart's, A History /i has a whole chapter on the origins and workings of the Sorting Hat." He smirked as he looked at the rapt attention she paid to the dais as she tried to figure out what it was saying.

Swallowing reflexively, Hermione remembered the feel of Sebastian Snape's warm calloused hand on her arm and the way his tall body stood over her as she watched his lithe body shift on the tall stool.

Severus Sebastian Snape would not meet his like some common cringing criminal. Raising his head high, he sat arrogantly still challenging anyone in the room to question his right to be there. At that moment he felt an intense draw to the center of the room and took in a shocked breath as his bottomless black eyes locked with Hermione's. The feel of her gaze brought forth in him a courage that was not based on arrogance, anger, or despair. Severus was so caught off guard by her penetrating gaze that he felt his breath quicken alarmingly as McGonagall walked near him with the old battered and worn hat in her hands.

Now was his chance. He knew that he needed to find out who he was and what his connection was to the girl named Hermione Granger. Severus was determined to find out the secrets the Sorting Hat would reveal to him. Closing his eyes hard, he concentrated on opening his mind to the Hat and blocking out the sympathetic eyes of one young woman as she tried to penetrate his mind with her own. He felt MacGonagall gently place the Sorting Hat on top of his head and felt a strange warmth radiate out of him as the Hat began to wriggle down further down his forehead covering his eyes completely.

The room went deathly silent as McGonagall stepped back. Everyone watched in silent fascination as the Hat continued to settle itself against Severus' head. The Hat began to shift, the rip that lay in the seam moving, seeming to almost speak words that no one could hear. McGonagall glanced over at Dumbledore who sat almost as tensely as Severus, but his demeanor was a portrait of pensiveness as he sat reading all the nuances of the Hat's gestures as it worked to determine where Severus would be placed.

Severus had never felt more alone and exposed in his life. He knew that no one would hear the conversation between himself and the Sorting Hat, but that did nothing to calm the riot of emotions that rocked his well schooled temper. He remembered back to when he had been first Sorted six years ago, but he didn't remember it feeling like this. He knew what he wanted then. He wanted what his father had always told him to want. There had really been no choice for him; if he was Sorted as anything other than Slytherian he wouldn't want to go home. Ever. It had gone so quickly the first time. The Hat had barely touched his head when he felt it shimmy back to McGonagall's retreating hand before loudly proclaiming the single word that had meant so much to him – "Slytherian." But this time everything was different. Being Sorted again left him wondering where he would be placed. Would being moved to a new house really re-define him? Could he have changed so much in six short years? He was on trial. He knew it. Everything he felt, everything he thought, everything that defined him was open to evaluation and judgment. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was both right and wrong.

With all these thoughts running through his mind, he couldn't wait to find out what was being decided. What was taking so long? Why the delay? "Come on Hat, tell me where I belong." he urged the Sorting Hat on. Severus smiled in anticipation as he immediately felt the Sorting Hat wriggle still deeper against his head. With the brim now completely covering his eyes, he suddenly felt exposed, almost as if the top of his head had been removed giving the Hat access to his deepest soul.

Although the Hat had no audible voice, he could feel the Sorting Hat's deep voice inside his mind. "Yesss. Now I see you clearly now."

"What do you see Hat?" he asked nervously never once parting his lips.

"You." The hat chuckled back. "Darkness. Loss. Anger. Jealously. Hate. Oh here it is, you have a true love of knowledge but you not quite a Ravenclaw are you? You like to use, to gain from what you know, but the love is there just the same. What a surprise, something I would not have expected from you last time. "

"What is it?" Snape held his breath as he thought the words.

"Loyalty." The Hat became quiet and Severus felt it still on his head as it spoke that single word.

A moment later, the Hat's voice sounded to Severus as if it had cast a i Sonorous /i charm on itself as it began speaking again. "Curious. Your much different now than before. You are sure of yourself now. Confident, there's little fear... more a resignation to Destiny. Ohhh yesss don't mistake me, it's still there but you will master it yet. Pride, I see that too. You have a need to prove yourself, to show that all your learning and skill serve a purpose. But then there's something else here too," the Hat paused its speech and Severus felt it slightly wriggle up his head, "humm... ohh.. yess.... Now I see it. That's it. That's what I needed. Now I know."

Almost franticly, Severus gripped the brim of the Hat pulling it further down on his forehead, urging it to reveal more of its secret knowledge of Severus Sebastian Snape. "What Hat, what do you see? Tell me."

He felt McGonagall pry his fingers away from the tatted brim of the hat as she cooed, "Gently, Mr. Snape. Gently."

"You b have /b changed boy. What could have happened to you in such a short time?" Snape felt himself almost snort in laughter as he gently touched his left forearm where the dark mark would be branded on him in a few weeks. The Sorting Hat began to shift itself, wriggling higher up his brow and cutting off the silent exchange between them.

What felt like an eternity to Severus passed by for the rest of the room in the several ticks of the clock. The Sorting Hat, having made its decision, severed the connection and began to speak to the room in a voice so booming with confidence that even those at the end of the Great Hall could clearly hear each word. "Choosing which House to place a student in is never an easy task. There is much that must be understood and contemplated. It appears to often take a mere moment to place a student, or sometimes even longer, but the decision is never any less important. Tonight's Sorting is a surprise to us all in many ways. Yet, the choice of where one belongs can be a major shock, most especially to those who feel they know everything about themselves. It is my charge from the distant past to choose where to place the students beneath me, but I never make this decision lightly. What qualities do I expect from those entering a specific house? It differs from student to student, but there is always something hidden, deep inside, that makes them ideal for the house they are assigned to. My decision is, quite simply, a reflection of who sits beneath me. And thus, there is really no option as to which House Mr. Snape belongs to." The Sorting Hat paused, seeming to rethink the decision it had arrived it moments earlier, but Albus smiled as the Sorting Hat winked conspiratorially at him relishing the attention it was receiving. "Mr. Snape is decidedly, Gryffindor!"

The Great Hall was deathly still as the Sorting Hat announced its decision. Soon the stillness was shattered by the echoing sound of one long, almost magically loud clap. Stunned, all looked up at the Head Table as Dumbledore continued to clap, breaking the spell that had been cast by the Sorting Hat's announcement of Severus' placement. Soon both professors and students were joining in Dumbledore's acknowledgement of the Hat's choice and a loud round of applause filled the Great Hall.

Amidst the applause, Snape gracefully descended from the stool and walked to stand before Dumbledore. "Headmaster, I don't think that I belong..." he spoke in a small disoriented voice as he locked eyes with those of the smiling wizard.

Without giving the young man a chance to finish his thoughts, Dumbledore waved his hand distractedly. "No need to worry about that Mr. Snape. The Hat has never made a wrong decision yet. The Gryffindor table awaits you." He gestured to the table that sat beneath a row of red and gold banners.

Standing, Dumbledore addressed the Hall, "After all this suspense I find that I am quite peckish tonight. I'm sure that all you young ones are almost withering away from hunger. So, without further ado, tuck in, and enjoy." With a graceful wave of his hands, food magically appeared on the tables.

Pushing his long hair back from his face, Snape scanned the long benches as he slowly moved through the room not even hearing Dumbledore speak. Seeing a spot to sit midway along the bench and he purposefully strode toward it, the fact that Miss Hermione Granger was seated beside did not escape his attention.

Hermione, along with the rest of the Great Hall, saw Severus moving directly toward her. Almost without thought, she shimmed closer to Ron pushing him further up the long bench making room for the new Gryffindor to sit.

"Mione whatcha doin'?" Ron's voice was muffled as he fought to speak around the chicken he was inhaling. Only his eyes showed how ruffled he was as Hermione maneuvered him further along to make room for Severus as she watched him move with a predatorial grace toward her.

"Shift over will you." She nudged him again as she looked up locking eyes with the tall boy before her. Hermione blushed as she watched him tower over her. There was a strange feeling of excitement and more than a little bit of nerves that made her continue to push against Ron increasing the gap between her and Ginny. Suddenly, she felt a nervous laugh bubble up from deep within Hermione as she greeted him with a shy smile of welcome.

Everyone ignored the sumptuous feast placed before them as they watched the development of a new drama begin amongst themselves as they saw Hermione shift Ron along the bench.

Hesitantly, he looked around at the open jaws that greeted him. "May I." he stated resolutely. Looking deep into his eyes though, Hermione saw that he was asking only her for permission to sit.

"Oh yes. Please do Mr. Snape." Hermione's voice was slightly breathless and held a curious lilt as she spoke to the tall youth above her. A slight blush suffused her cheeks as she saw him put his hand out toward her. Taking it in her smaller hand, she immediately felt the return of the electric shock from the hallway.

Ginny leaned over across the empty space and whispered, "Hermione what's gotten into you?"

Her reward was a quick shove back into her seat so that Severus' seat was opened.

"Severus... Severus Sebastian. Thank you..."

Nervously tucking back an unruly strand of hair behind her ear, Hermione broke her gaze with him as she gestured toward the open seat beside her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Hermione Granger, Head Girl."

"As if he doesn't already know who you are, 'Miss Help-Me-I'm-Falling'." Ron snorted as she introduced them with a swift kick to Ron's shins.

"This is Ronald Weasley." She gestured behind her without turning. "On the other side of the table is Harry Potter. And this is Ginny Weasley."

Ginny put her hand out to shake Severus' with a wide smile. "I'm that one's sister." She pointed toward Ron. "Please don't think ill manners are a family trait. Some are born with all the brawn and others," she flipped her long red hair dramatically, "were born with all the brains and beauty." She laughed as she ducked a flying roll that was catapulted over Hermione's head.

Hermione continued to speak as if nothing were going on around her. "Your trunk along with your new house things will be brought to the Seventh Year Dormitory after dinner. Ron and Harry will show you to your rooms." Turning, she looked at Ron with all the authority her position gave her and continued on matter of factly. "I trust the boys will show you around the Dormitory i safely /i ."

"You really love the whole Head Girl thing too much Hermione. I'm sure Sevvie could figure all that out on his own. Right, Sevvie?" Ron's words were charged with hostility challenging Severus to answer it in kind.

Hearing the open aggression in Ron's normally placid demeanor set Hermione on the defensive. Although he was often the most easygoing of their group, Ron could, when challenged, become the most deadly. This had surprised many of the people who questioned his position on their House Team. Hermione had seen Ron literally do amazing feats when he had been pushed far enough. Their continual defeat of Malfoy and the Slytherians each year for the Quidditch Cup was due in a large part of the meticulous planning and observation by Ron. Trying to defuse the situation before it escalated, Hermione shot an angry stare at him mouthing his name in a warning, but Severus interrupted her sileint exchange.

Severus' response was icily cold and equally antagonistic. "It is Severus." he replied coldly as his dark eyes glared at Ron. "And, information is always helpful. I don't mind a helping hand, especially when it comes from such a delightful woman. Wouldn't you agree, Ronald?" He spat the name out in answer to Ron's challenge before turning an open smile at Hermione that left her blushing again.

"Umm.. Ron is the new Quiddich Captain for Gryffindor and our Keeper. Harry's our Seeker and Ginny is one of our star Chasers. Do you play?" she asked quickly trying to draw Severus' attention away from her and to the boys.

Severus dropped his head slightly, knowing that to admit indifference to the game was always the beginning of a hard time at Hogwarts. "Not really. I'm more comfortable working with books."

Ron leaned across the table and tugged on Harry's robe. "Sounds like a male version of Hermione to me."

"RON!"

"Well you know you can't fly." He reached over and took a plate of potatoes from in front of Seamus he as spoke, completely missing Hermione's obvious embarrassment.

"There's a difference, Ron, between not liking something and not b loving /b it." She looked over to Harry and Ginny for support but they were suddenly more interested in both reaching for the same jug of pumpkin juice in front of them to cover their own amazement at Ron's insensitivity.

Reaching over, Ron put his arms around Hermione and pulled her closer to him, fitting her head neatly under his chin. "Darling, not loving something is Ginny's flying. You know you can't even call a broom." He laughed affectionately as he rubbed her waist possessively. With a glint in his eye that spoke volumes to everyone who saw it, Ron locked gazes with Severus. "Don't you agree Harry?" He looked over at Harry who had his head close to Ginny's doing his own unsuccessfully Damage Control based on the glare that she shot her brother.

But it was the dark look that Severus sent Ron that would have been warning enough to a wiser man. But Ronald Weasley at this moment was anything like that wiser man.

Pushing away from him, Hermione shot out indignantly, "I can so fly Ronald Weasley. I just choose to spend my time productively, than zooming around the sky chasing a flying ball."

"Hermione." Severus' voice spoke her name slowly, almost as if he was savoring the taste. His calm measured tones were the antithesis of Ron's faster more impassioned voice. "There is much to be said for the use of sport to hone and develop the skills and reflexes that only heighten the body and sharpen the mind."

Ginny covered her mouth with both hands to stifle her laughter, but the gleam in her eyes and the unladylike snort she emitted set a titter running down the length of the Gryffindor bench.

"So then you do play?" Ron's surprised tone filled the air in a loud snort.

"Yes. I am a fair chaser in a friendly match. Though, I much prefer the challenge of flight and the danger of the Bludger to the more sedate role of Keeper."

"Ouch, that one had to hurt." Ginny laughed loudly this time, sending a smile to Severus in thanks for his subtle compliment. "Score 10 points for the challenger."

Harry looked abashed at Ginny's response and tried to send a comforting glance over to Ron. "Don't you dare defend him Harry James Potter. He deserved that and you know it." Ginny warned him in a dangerously low voice that sounded remarkably like her mother Molly's tone when speaking to her sons.

"Sorry mate." he sighed resignedly. "You know what your sister's like when her temper is up. So, your own with this one." He leaned across the table and whispered, "I've got a date with her tonight. Ouch." He bent down to rub his shin looking across the table at her sweet smile.

Red in the face, Ron let go of Hermione and turned his full attention on Severus.

Feeling him tense and shift his body, Hermione spun around so quickly her long hair was still waving as she stopped to glare at Ron. "Don't you even think it Ronald Weasley. I'll take my own house point if you push this."

"I don't need you to defend me, Hermione." He all but shouted at her as he glared at Severus.

" i Boys! /i " she sigh out between gritted teeth. "Harry help me out will you?"

"If you have a Three-headed dog to get around, an evil wizard trying to take over the world you need defeated, an evil headmistress with sadomasochistic tendencies to remove from your school all you have to do is say 'Hey Harry got a minute?' But this one? N. O. No way am I getting involved in this."

But all further discussion was cut short as Albus cleared his throat loudly before serving himself. Suddenly, the food that had been sitting forgotten on the tables became the most interesting thing in the room. The usually din of dinner conversation drowned out the short melodrama that was playing out at the Gryffindor table. But the tension between the friends was palpable to everyone around them.

Hermione's welcome did not go unnoticed by the head table, nor did the motion of the students that surrounded them. McGonagall and Dumbledore noticed not only as Hermione and Severus continued to steal glances at each, but also when as Hermione shifted slightly during to meal to sit closer to Severus than Ron. But it was when Albus watched Hermione attempt to fix the errant stand of hair that continually fell in her face that his decision on her interaction with Severus was made.

Hermione's hair had finished coming undone as she weaved her way through the hallway earlier. Her long uncontrollable hair had the annoying habit of dancing before her eyes whenever she looked down. Through the meal she had battled this one lock that insisted being the bane of her evening. Albus' eyes narrowed each time Hermione moved the lock of hair and saw Severus' fingers twitching as his palm slightly raised to meet her fingers. Finally, Severus could no longer control his hand and his longer tapered fingers collided with her daintier ones as he took the soft lock between his fingers. Gently biting her lower lip, she felt him gently run his fingers over the curling lock as he whispered a hushed incantation, before pulling his wand from his robes. Swallowing hard around her beating pulse, she watched as he leaned forward and, with a final word and swish of his wand, tucked the errant lock back into place for her. Looking down, she passed her hand over the lock and gently tugged at it trying to free it. Looking up at Severus, her fell mouth open into an undignified surprised 'O' as the lock stayed in place. Hermione's soft laughter seemed to fill the room as she thanked Severus.

"Minerva, I don't think Miss Granger should spend too much time with Severus."

The Headmaster's tone was strangely devoid of normal mirth.

She looked curiously at him over the golden rim of her goblet. "Why? Given the circumstances I must say that I am quite impressed with the way she is handling the situation. She is making Severus feel welcomed into her House. Would you want it otherwise?" She paused and looked at him as he played with his long beard where it gathered in his lap.

"You were the one who insisted that he be given another chance. That wherever the Sorting Hat placed him he would be made welcome by that house and not be shunned or ignored. What has changed that opinion, Albus?"

"Look at her Minerva." There was no question as to which 'her' Albus referred to. But it was the urgency in his tone that shocked her, not his words. Minerva was shaken by this sense of distrust at Hermione's behavior, especially since Albus had always held her in such high regard.

"Albus, you don't think?"

"I do. And it will not happen." he stated in a strangely authoritative voice.

"Albus," McGonagall replied rather shakily at her friend's unusual tone and attitude, "he is a student here now."

"Not for long. His past has done too much good to risk what has happened."

"He didn't time travel here. His past is just that. i His past. This b is /b his present now. /i Why not give him the chance to have his youth. Don't you think he deserves it?"

"This is quite a different position from our earlier conversation, Minerva." His eyes twinkled as he spoke.

"He just looks so lost." she spoke softly as she looked out over the crowed hall to Severus' dark head bobbing as he spoke with Hermione.

"I know Minerva." Albus spoke in a softer, more world-weary voice that Minerva had not heard him use since the Final Battle. Albus paused for a moment to look at his companion, reading the face that he had confided in for longer than he could remember. "Do you really think I would deny him the chance to 'do it all over', or to 'get it right'? You know me better than that. If I could give him that chance I would, but we must get him back as the Severus we know."

Reaching down by his plate he picked up one Lemon Sherbet from the small milk white dish that sat by his goblet and offered it to Minerva who shook her head with a sad smile. Grinning at her he popped the yellow drop in his mouth with a child-like smile before rising and walking toward the center of the hall intent on speaking with Hermione.

"But Albus," she paused as he turned to look over at her, "what if b he /b doesn't want to go back when the time comes?"

"That's not an option. There are still many things he must accomplish as the man he was." he said gravely raising and walking towards Hermione.

He could feel the tension between the three friends as he walked closer to them. "Miss Granger, I need to speak with you before you evening rounds." He spoke without stopping as she only nodded.


End file.
